BEHIND THE CURTAIN A CREATIVE & THEATRICAL STUDY GUIDE FOR TEACHERS

Transcription

1 BEHIND THE CURTAIN A CREATIVE & THEATRICAL STUDY GUIDE FOR TEACHERS As part of DCT s mission to integrate the arts into classroom academics, the Behind the Curtain Resource Guide is intended to provide helpful information for the teacher and student to use before and after attending a performance. The activities presented in this guide are suggested to stimulate lively responses and multi-sensory explorations of concepts in order to use the theatrical event as a vehicle for cross-cultural and language arts learning. KATHY BURKS THEATRE OF PUPPETRY ARTS Adaptation, Original Songs & Lyrics by B. Wolf AGES 4 AND ABOVE MARCH 7 MARCH 31 STUDENT MATINEE MARCH 3 MARCH 26 PUBLIC SHOWS Please use our suggestions as springboards to lead your students into meaningful, dynamic learning; extending the dramatic experience of the play.

2 Dallas Children s Theater BEHIND THE CURTAIN A Creative & Theatrical Resource Guide for Teachers DCT Executive Artistic Director...Robyn Flatt Resource Guide Editor...Marty Sherman Resource Guide Layout/Design...Jamie Brizzolara Play...JACK AND THE BEANSTALK Adaptation, Original Songs & Lyrics by...b. Wolf Kathy Burks Theatre of Puppetry Arts Artistic Staff...Kathy Burks, Douglass Burks, Sarah Jayne Fiorello,...Patricia Long, B. Wolf, Becky Burks Keenan DALLAS CHILDREN S THEATER, one of the top five family theaters in the nation, serves over 250,000 young people from 196 zip codes, 146 cities and 78 counties and 32 states each year through its main stage productions, touring, educational programming and outreach activities. Since its opening in 1984, this awardwinning theater has existed to create challenging, inspiring and entertaining theater, which communicates vital messages to our youth and promotes an early appreciation for literature and the performing arts. As the only major organization in Dallas focusing on theater for youth and families, DCT produces literary classics, original scripts, folk tales, myths, fantasies and contemporary dramas that foster multicultural understanding, confront topical issues and celebrate the human spirit. DCT is committed to the integration of creative arts into the teaching strategies of academic core curriculum and educating through the arts. Techniques utilized by DCT artists/teachers are based upon the approach developed in The Integration of Abilities and Making Sense with Five Senses, by Paul Baker, Ph.D. DCT founder and Executive Artistic Director, Robyn Flatt defines the artistic mission and oversees the operations of the organization, consisting of twenty-five full time staff members and more than 200 actors, designers, theater artists and educators. TEKS that your field trip to Dallas Children s Theater satisfies are listed at the back of this guide Education Sponsors THE EUGENE MCDERMOTT FOUNDATION Educational support is also provided by: ORIEN L. & DR. JACK WOOLF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION THE RYAN GOLDBLATT FOUNDATION KOHL FOUNDATION THE TJX FOUNDATION AND COMPANIES, INC. GREEN MOUNTAIN ENERGY DCT s official renewable energy partner Sensory-Friendly Sponsors include: The Aileen and Jack Pratt Foundation W.P. & Bulah Luse Foundation Permission is granted for material included in this Resource Guide to be copied for use in the classroom

3 CURTAINS UP ON PUTTING A PERFORMANCE TOGETHER Every DCT performance you see is the result of many people working together to create a play. You see the cast perform on stage but there are people that you do not see who help before, during, and after every production. The WRITER/ADAPTOR Creates a script that combines the story, the music, and the creative vision of a puppet director. The DIRECTOR Much of the director s job in a puppet performance is in planning the behind the scenes movements of puppets and puppeteers. The DESIGNERS Design the puppets, their costumes, and the style in which the story will be presented The CREW All those involved in construction of the set pieces, puppets, lighting and sound tracks, as well as the puppeteers. The CAST In a puppet theatre production, the cast members are the puppets themselves. The PUPPETEERS The invisible folks who manipulate the puppets so that they come to life in a performance. The AUDIENCE That s right! There can be no performance without you- the audience. The role of the audience is unique because you experience the entertainment with the performers and backstage crew. You are a collaborator in the performance, and it is important to learn your role so you can join all the people who work to create this Dallas Children s Theater production. DIRECTOR STAGE MANAGER DESIGNER ACTOR 3

4 AGIVE IT A TRY GIVE IT TRY GIVE IT A TRY CURTAINS UP ON THE ROLE OF THE AUDIENCE Watching a play is different from watching television or a sporting event. When you watch T.V., you may leave the room or talk. At a sporting event you might cheer and shout and discuss what you re seeing. Your role as a member of the audience in a play means you must watch and listen carefully because: You need to concentrate on what the actors are saying. The puppeteers are affected by your behavior because they share the room with you. Talking and moving around can make it difficult for them to concentrate on their roles. Extra noises and movement can distract other audience members. Are you ready for your role in this performance? Check the box next to the statements that describe proper etiquette for an audience member. q q q q q q q q Try your best to remain in your seat once the performance has begun. Share your thoughts out loud with those sitting near you. Wave and shout out to the puppeteers on stage. Sit on your knees or stand near your seat. Bring snacks and chewing gum to enjoy during the show. Reward the cast and crew with applause when you like a song or dance and at the end of the show. Arrive on time so that you do not miss anything or disturb other audience members when you are being seated. Keep all hands and feet and items out of the aisles during the performance. 4

5 CURTAINS UP ON KATHY BURKS THEATRE OF PUPPETRY ARTS VOCABULARY ACTOR/PUPPETEER CAST CENTER STAGE CHARACTER COSTUME DESIGNER DIRECTOR DOWNSTAGE HOUSE LIGHTING DESIGNER ONSTAGE OFFSTAGE PLAYWRIGHT PLOT PROSCENIUM PROJECT PROP PUPPET SET SETTING SOUND DESIGNER STAGE CREW STAGE MANAGER UPSTAGE any theatrical performer whose job it is to portray a character group of actors in a play the middle of the stage any person portrayed by an actor onstage. Characters may often be people, animals, and sometimes things. the person who creates what the actors wear in the performance the person in charge of the actors movements on stage the area at the front of the stage; closest to the audience where the audience sits in the theater the person who creates the lighting for a play to simulate the time of day and the location the part of the stage the audience can see the part of the stage the audience cannot see the person who writes the script to be performed. Playwrights may write an original story or adapt a story by another author for performance. the story line the opening framing the stage to speak loudly an object used by an actor in a scene A movable model of a person or animal that is used in entertainment and is moved either by strings from above, or by a hand inside it. the background or scenery for a play the time and place of the story the person who provides special effects like thunder, a ringing phone, or crickets chirping the people who change the scenery during a performance the person who helps the director during the rehearsal and coordinates all crew during the performance the area at the back of the stage; farthest from the audience 5

6 CURTAINS UP ON KATHY BURKS THEATRE OF PUPPETRY ARTS Kathy Burks Theatre of Puppetry Arts, a professional company, is the oldest resident puppet theatre in the Southwest. Established in 1973 as Kathy Burks Marionettes, and performing continuously since that time, the troupe has provided family entertainment for audiences in the Dallas/ Ft. Worth Metroplex and throughout the United States. At its inception the company performed exclusively with the antique marionettes which belong to Kathy Burks. Formerly owned and toured throughout the world by The Sue Hastings Company, of New York City, this is one of the largest collections of antique marionettes in the country, consisting of approximately 1,000 unique figures from the 1920 s and 30 s. These antiques proved too fragile, however, to withstand the rigors of continual performance. They currently make their home at Dallas Children s Theater, where they appear in various exhibits celebrating the power of Drama, past and present. Now the public may enjoy both the beauty and the history of these incredible puppets. With the retirement of the Hastings collection, Kathy Burks Marionettes began to design and construct new marionettes for performance and to incorporate other styles of puppetry into its presentations. At last the company name seemed a misnomer, and in 1992, Kathy Burks Marionettes became Kathy Burks Theatre of Puppetry Arts, one of the few puppet theatres in the country to perform using all styles of puppetry, including traditional bridge and cabaret marionettes, hand puppets, shadow puppets, and Black Theatre rod puppets. Performance material ranges from adaptations of classic stories and fairy tales, to scripts based on original themes, and to puppet theatre interpretations of musical masterpieces such as The Nutcracker, Til Eulenspiegel, and Carnival Of The Animals. The company has also collaborated with Dallas Children s Theater in live productions. Although entertainment is the troupe s primary goal, educational aims are inextricably interwoven. Both the founder of the company and the playwright/composer possess degrees in education. Each member of the company is a dedicated artist with an extensive background in various theatre arts. Skills in set and costume design, acting, directing, dance, lighting design, playwrighting, and musical composition all combine with expertise in puppet manipulation to produce a complete theatrical company which specializes in elaborate puppet productions. 6

7 CURTAINS UP ON A BRIEF HISTORY OF PUPPETRY Puppetry, like music and dance, is an ancient art ever evolving and renewing itself. A puppet is an inanimate figure that is caused to move by human effort before an audience. The four most common kinds of puppets are: SHADOW PUPPETS Operated from below the stage behind a screen or curtain. Light shines through the holes to create a shadow on the screen ROD PUPPETS Manipulated from below the stage or from directly behind the playing area, as in Black Theatre Hobey Ford GLOVE OR HAND PUPPETS Operated from below the stage MARIONETTES OR STRING PUPPETS Manipulated from above the stage. 7

8 T E A C H E R T I P T E A C H E R T I P T E A C H E R T I P CURTAINS UP ON A BRIEF HISTORY OF PUPPETRY (cont d.) Puppets exist in a wide variety of types, and may be two- or three-dimensional. They vary in size from finger puppets to larger than life-size, and range from simplest shapes to elaborately articulated figures. The origins of puppetry are veiled in antiquity, but it is known that primitive peoples made puppets long before the invention of writing. Puppets probably served a function in the ritual magic practices by early man. Extensive use of puppetry for religious purposes is recorded in every subsequent civilization. For centuries, puppetry was effectively utilized in the church, but gradually some of the comic characters and scenes, originally introduced to lighten the miracle plays, got out of hand and became offensively boisterous and vulgar. Eventually, puppets were totally expelled from the church. Henceforth, the art of puppetry was practiced in the streets, fairgrounds, inns, and later, when it had gained status again, in theaters of its own. In the present day it has returned to some churches. Whatever the setting, audiences have always responded wholeheartedly to those qualities unique to the art. When operated with skill and artistry, puppets can convey with great intensity every emotion known to humankind, distilling the essence of feelings common to everyone. Puppets eloquently express the gamut of dramatic styles, from slapstick to riotous comedy to heart rending pathos and soul wrenching drama. CURTAINS UP AFTER THE PERFORMANCE Attending a play is an experience unlike any other entertainment experience. Because a play is presented live, it provides a unique opportunity to experience a story as it happens. Kathy Burks Theatre of Puppetry Arts brings to life stories through its puppet performances. Many people are involved in the process. Writers adapt the stories you read in order to bring them off the page and on to the stage. Designers and technicians create lighting effects so that you can feel the mood of a scene. Carpenters build scenery and make the place of the story become a real place, while craftspeople and costumers make the puppets appear to be the characters in the story. Directors help the puppeteers bring the story to life and make it happen before your very eyes. All of these things make seeing a play very different from television, videos, computer games, or CDs and tapes of stories. Hold a class discussion when you return from the performance. Ask students the following questions and allow them to write or draw pictures of their experience at DCT. What was the first thing you noticed when you entered the theater? What did you notice first on the stage? What about the set? Draw or tell about things you remember. Did the set change during the play? How was it moved or changed? Was there any space besides the stage where the action took place? 8

9 USE WHAT YOU VE LEARNED USE WHAT YOU VE LEARNED CURTAINS UP AFTER THE PERFORMANCE (cont d.) How did the lights set the mood of the play? How did they change throughout? What do you think house lights are? How do they differ from stage lights? Did you notice different areas of lighting? What did you think about the costumes? Do you think they fit the story? What things do you think the costume designers had to consider before creating the costumes? Was there music in the play? How did it add to the performance? Did you feel caught up in the story? What things do you think the puppeteers had to work on in order to make you believe the characters were alive? Draw a picture of what the audience might look like from the stage. Consider your work from the viewpoint of the puppeteers. How might things look form where they stand? Write a letter to one of the puppeteers telling what you liked about the character they manipulated. Write how you think it might feel to be one of the puppeteers. Are they aware of the audience? How might they feel about the reactions of the audience today? How would you feel before the play began? What about after the show ends? Which job would you like to try? Puppeteering, Directing, Lighting and Sounds, Stage Manager or another role? What skills might you need to complete your job? Choose a favorite story and draw or use the computer to create a program cover design for a puppet adaptation of your story. CURTAINS UP ON ADAPTATION An adaptation is a change made in something so that it can fit a new use. This performance of Jack and the Beanstalk is an adaptation of a book, which is meant to be read, into a play, which is meant to be performed and viewed. B. Wolf took the story and adapted it so that it could be performed for an audience on stage. Consider these questions for discussion before you attend the DCT production: What kinds of things did the authors have to consider in writing a script of the story? What kinds of things would an author be concerned about in making a musical adaptation of this story? Do you think the performance will be shorter or longer than the book? What will the characters look like? Will they match their illustrations? What differences can you expect? What about the story? What changes might you expect in adapting it for the stage? Why would these changes be necessary? 9

10 AGIVE IT A TRY GIVE IT TRY GIVE IT A TRY CURTAINS UP ON ADAPTATION (cont d.) After the performance, consider these questions: Were there any characters or events that were in the book but not in the play? Why do you think these choices were made? Did the changes make the story stronger or was it weaker because of them? What do you think the set and costume designers need to consider when bringing the book to the stage? What things helped to tell the story on stage? Use the compare and contrast template on the next page to illustrate the similarities and differences between the book and DCT s performance of Jack and the Beanstalk CURTAINS UP ON THE PLAYWRIGHT B. WOLF (Playwright / Composer) Ms. Wolf has composed and orchestrated music and served as musical director for many DCT productions including Madeline s Christmas; A Year with Frog and Toad; Pinkerton!!!; If You Give a Pig a Party; The Velveteen Rabbit; Jack & the Giant Beanstalk; Pecos Bill; James and the Giant Peach; and Go, Dog. Go! (2007). An award winning playwright, Ms. Wolf has authored several children s plays that have been performed nationwide, including the original adaptation of Beatrix Potter s The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Since 1976, as resident playwright and composer with Kathy Burks Theatre of Puppetry Arts, she has written more than thirty puppet plays, musicals, and operettas, most of which remain in the troupe s repertoire. Ms. Wolf has worked with numerous other theaters throughout the Dallas area and she was honored with a Dallas-Fort Worth Theater Critics Forum Award for her unique musical underscore of Bootstraps Comedy Theater s The Boxer. She was most recently seen (and heard) providing the live sound track to The Curse of Castle Mongrew, Goodnight Moon and Go, Dog. Go! She composed the music and lyrics for Little Women performed in February by the Teen Scene Players of DCT. 10

11 COMPARE/CONTRAST THE STORY BOTH THE PUPPET PRODUCTION

12 CURTAINS UP ON SCIENCE Grow Your Own Beanstalk You will need: Small paper cups Potting mix Plastic spoons Lima Beans Water CORNER Here s How: Provide each student a small paper cup, some potting soil mix, and one or two lima beans. Instruct them to use their spoons to fill the cup at least half way with the potting mix. Add the beans and cover them with soil. Place the cups in a sunny spot, water them daily, and watch them grow. Hint: Students should water their beans only enough that the soil feels moist to the touch. Be cautious about overwatering! Watch and Learn You can extend the activity by providing students with small notebooks in which they can journal the growth and development of their plants. Allow them time to draw, measure, and write about what they observe. CURTAINS UP ON MATH Use the following activities to create a math practice center in your classroom. Sorting, Patterning, and Counting You will need: A large tub of a variety of mixed beans Card stock Markers Small cups, ice cube trays, or egg cartons 12

13 CURTAINS UP ON MATH (cont d.) + + Use the cardstock and markers to create several pattern cards students can match using the beans + + Create number cards and encourage students to place the number of beans on the cards + + Make cards with simple addition and subtraction problems and instruct students to use beans to solve the equations. + + Provide ice cube trays or small cups and encourage students to sort the beans according to size, color, or type. CORNER Older students can try the activity below. Units of Measure Before introducing this activity to your class, construct a large beanstalk in your classroom either with bulletin board paper on a wall or door or by using tape or vinyl on a large area of the floor. Introduce the activity by discussing units of measurement with your class. While we use inches and feet as units in the U.S., other countries use units like centimeters and meters. In this activity, students will choose their own units of measurement to measure the length of the beanstalk. Encourage students to find objects from around the room that they will use to measure the beanstalk. Allow them to work as partners to carefully place and count their units as they measure the length. Record each team s number of units and discuss their findings. Which units took the most time to use to measure? Which were quickest? Why do you think we use more than one type of unit to measure lengths and distances? 13

14 CURTAINS UP ON LANGUAGE ARTS Sensory Name Recognition You will need: Liquid glue A variety of dried beans Sharpie marker White construction paper or sentence strips Write each student s name on the sentence strips or construction paper with a Sharpie marker. Provide students with a supply of dried beans and encourage them to glue the beans closely together on their names. Depending on the ages of your students, you may want to outline their names in glue before having them attach the beans. What is PER-SON-I-FI-CA-TION? Younger students enjoy being introduced to big words and big concepts. Help them pronounce and understand personification by breaking the word into syllables and showing them the root word person. Present the word to them on the board or chart paper and encourage them to share their thoughts about what the word might mean. Use the following activity after you ve discussed the concept of giving inanimate objects or animals human qualities in stories. Personification in Jack and the Beanstalk + + Can you name any characters that were personified in the production of Jack and the Beanstalk? + + What human characteristics were they given? + + Why do you think the author chose to personify the characters? + + How did they make the story more interesting? You will need: Drawing Paper Crayons or Markers Use your imagination to draw a picture of an object you d like to see personified. What human characteristics would it have? Would it wear clothes? If so, draw what sort. What things might it be able to do if it had qualities of a person? Share your illustrations with the class and display them for your friends. Older students could be encouraged to write a brief story about their personified object. You might even write a class story, including illustrations, then publish it to share with others. 14

15 USE WHAT YOU VE LEARNED USE WHAT YOU VE LEARNED CURTAINS UP ON READING This activity is particularly good when used before visiting DCT to see the Kathy Burks Theatre of Puppetry Arts production of Jack and the Beanstalk. You can use it over several days when preparing to attend the performance. You will need: Several copies of different Jack and the Beanstalk story books Copy machine copies of the fronts of each of the books Chart paper Markers or crayons Glue Stick + + Create a chart using the pictures from the stories you ve chosen. Glue the copies to the top of the paper and use the markers to draw graphing lines. + + Read each of the stories to students and discuss the similarities and differences between each of them. + + Provide students the opportunity to write their names under the pictures of their favorite Jack and the Beanstalk story and discuss the results as a group. + + Post the chart on the wall and encourage students to watch for similarities and differences between the stories and the puppet production after visiting DCT. + + Extend the activity by allowing students to write what they liked about the puppet telling of the story and share it with Kathy Burks Theatre of Puppetry Arts by sending them to DCT at the Rosewood Center for Family Arts. CURTAINS UP ON ART Fee Fi Fo FUN! You will need: Sturdy Cardboard Box Cutter or Sharp Scissors (Adults only!) Marker String or Ribbon Draw a pair of giant feet on the cardboard and have an adult cut them out for you. Trace your own feet in the middle of the giant ones. Cut two slits on either side of the top and bottom of your footprints and insert ribbon or string to tie them to your feet. Have fun tromping about in a Fee Fi FoFum giant way! 15

16 T.E.K.S. satisfied by JACK AND THE BEANSTALK Theatre, Kindergarten. K.5 - Response/evaluation. The student responds to and evaluates theatre and theatrical performances. A - Begin to identify appropriate audience behavior. B - Respond to dramatic activities. C - Demonstrate awareness of the use of music, creative movement, and visual components in dramatic play. D - Observe the performance of artists and identify theatrical vocations Theatre, Grade Response/evaluation. The student responds to and evaluates theatre and theatrical performances. A - Identify appropriate audience behavior. B - Respond to and begin to evaluate dramatic activities. C - Identify the use of music, creative movement, and visual components in dramatic play. D - Observe the performance of artists and identify theatrical vocations Theatre, Grade Response/evaluation. The student responds to and evaluates theatre and theatrical performances. A - Identify and apply appropriate audience behavior. B - React to and begin to evaluate dramatic activities. C - Employ music, creative movement, and visual components in dramatic play. D - Observe the performance of artists and identify theatrical vocations Theatre, Grade Response/evaluation. The student responds to and evaluates theatre and theatrical performances. A - Evaluate and apply appropriate audience behavior consistently. B - Evaluate simple dramatic activities and performances. C - Incorporate music, movement, and visual components in dramatic play. D - Observe the performance of amateur and professional artists and begin to compare vocations in theatre. D - Analyze and compare theatre artists and their contributions. 16